Orcs

Orcs have vicious temperaments and chaotic natures and are feared throughout Arrasia, for their arrival usually heralds a time of chaos, bloodshed and war. All too often, however, orc raiding parties or armies fall into internal conflict and soon disperse back to where they came from. Orcs are proud creatures and spend much of their time fighting with other orc tribes to improve their tribe's renown and their own individual worth. Orcs love scars, which they wear with pride.

Although orc tribes usually fight when they meet, strong and charismatic leaders emerge periodically and unite the tribes, leading them to war against their enemies or the civilized nations. These can be extremely dangerous periods, as orcs are strong and fearless and can be devastating on the battlefield. On the rare occasions when their discipline holds, they can be almost unstoppable.

Orcs are happiest upon the open fields of war, facing the massed ranks of their opponents. For an orc, as the adrenalin courses through their blood and fills them with a fearless and almost uncontrollable bloodlust, there is no better feeling. And to die upon the field, in combat, with the blood of their enemy on their blade, is the honorable and most orc-like way to die. However, orcs have no regard for the rules of war, as the chaos that consumes them and the rage that fills them all too often sees their armies break into anarchy and madness, which more disciplined armies are quick to exploit.

Although Ragmannon created the orcs and sent them to Arrasia, triggering the War of Chaos, they are not beholding to him and many also follow Xagraxsus and Hith. When tribes of different religious beliefs meet, they fight, for the pride of the tribe is at stake. These battles are vicious and horrific affairs and a tribe can be quickly wiped out in this manner.

Orcs are not comfortable in bright light, which hurts their eyes, or hot weather and typically prefer temperate and cooler climes. However, in recent years a new breed of orc has emerged - desert orcs found in Nizhst, Jerad, The Gold Coast and even as far east as The Kera Desert. Servants of Hith, they have taken his war with Karnish into the sun soaked south, as well as rounding up large numbers of the natives there as slaves, from where they are transported to Hith's labor camps, where the tools of war are fashioned and where life is short and harsh.

Strong and swift, desert orcs travel by night and are capable of traveling great distances, often appearing out of nowhere and falling upon their enemies with surprise, before vanishing back from where they came. Although they still abhor the sunlight, which they hide from during the hours of daylight, the desert orcs seem impervious to the heat and are capable of shrugging off its effects, when others would be collapsing from exhaustion.

Orcs are ugly creatures, with dirty gray skin and rough, black hair. Their noses tend to be wide and flat, with large hairy nostrils. Their eyes are round and emotionless, but when taken with the rage that burns within them become bloodshot and take on a reddish tone. Orcs have no interest in what they wear and usually wear nothing at all when they are not heavily protected in their disheveled and uncared for armor. Their weapons, on the other hand, are always well looked after and orcs take great pride in the weapon they wield. Orcs stand upwards of 7 feet tall and weigh over 250 pounds.

The language an orc speaks varies slightly from tribe to tribe, but is similar enough to form a basis of communication between tribes. Some orcs know a smattering of Goblin or a human language as well - even if only the language of war or the rude words.

Orc Homelands
The very nature of orcs means that there are no orc nations, as such, since they are incapable of living without violence, but several nations have emerged in which orcs play a large, even predominant, role. Under the banner of Hith, many orc tribes can be found living in Hithanon, and North and West Hithanon, where they are subjects to his will. There, permanent orc settlements can be found whose history stretches right back to when Hith first settled there. Conflict between the numerous tribes is kept to a minimum by the powerful minions Hith employs and whose justice is swift and uncompromising. Chaotic tournaments are also common events, which sees orc tribes pitched against each other in violent jousts and gladiatorial contests, with competition between the tribes high and much pride - as well as their lives - at stake.

Orcs can also be found sharing power with humans in Uradun. Although tension and conflict are common, the humans have brought rule and stability and the constant wars with Karnish and their other neighbors helps keep the bloodlust of the orcs sated. They can also be found in large numbers in Ragmannon Gorge and the Valley of Ximinnies, which is said to be their spiritual home on Arrasia, though the nature of their society and how many of them there are is not known.

In general however, orcs live and die by their lust for blood and the chaos in their souls does not lead to a settled way of life, unless it is (usually) enforced upon them. Even then, conflict is common and a vent for their violence essential. Most therefore live in caves and the mountains and underworld of Arrasia are filled with them.

Orc Politics and Society
An orc tribe is dominated by the strongest amongst them, who bullies and humiliates the other members of the tribe into submission and builds around himself a strong group of loyal guards - loyal, that is, until they feel strong enough themselves to challenge for the leadership of the tribe. His position as the head of the tribe is always a precarious one and any sign of weakness will almost certainly lead to a challenge from another member of the group. The tribes themselves are always filled with bickering, fighting and constant conflict. Orc tribes are almost constantly at war with either other orc tribes or any number of their enemies, without which a tribe would likely fall upon, and annihilate, itself.

Orcs have little in the way of culture and almost nothing survives the passing of the generations, except their ability to fight, which is passed from one generation to the next. Even for a pastime, orcs love to fight amongst themselves and wrestling tournaments are very popular and extremly violent!